For some time now DefenseMediaNetwork.com and the OSS Society have been asking you to support the passage of a resolution to honor our World War II heroes of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), forerunners of the Central Intelligence Agency and United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), by granting OSS veterans the Congressional Gold Medal.

Engineers began anticipating the engines that would be required for what became the aircraft of World War II as early as 1930, with some preceding that. Many of the engines which would see service in World War II started production in 1935.

Army Chief of Staff Gen. George C. Marshall ordered its existence. Gen. Lucian Truscott gave the unit its name. But the father of the Rangers was William Orlando Darby, its first commanding officer. A 1933 West Point graduate, he was a charismatic leader who would become one of the great troop commanders of World War II.

For more than a decade and a half, The Year in Special Operations has included interviews and discussions with a Who’s Who of former operators and senior and commanding officers throughout the U.S. military, offering their insights on the roles, missions, and history of unconventional warfare units and possible future developments. The publication regularly includes features on programs, equipment, operations, the history of SOF, and more, written by some of the most respected writers in the field. Click to read the latest online digital.